Process and apparatus for dyeing sliver



June 18, 1963 N. H. CHANDLER 3,093,867

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING SLIVER Filed Jan. 12, 1961 IIg 7 5mUnited States Patent 3,093,867 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING SLIVERNorman H. Chandler, Granhy, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Thor MillsLimited, Granby, Quebec, Canada Filed Jan. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 82,297 3Claims. (CI. 19-66) This invention relates to the colouring or dyeing ofrunning lengths of non-woven textile fibres, for example in the form ofroving, sliver, slubbing, top, yarn, warp or filament.

In many instances it is preferable to have textile fibres in variousforms dyed prior to weaving or knitting. This is especially true in mostcases where the finished fabric must have a colour pattern woven orknitted directly into the fabric. The generally accepted method ofproducing colour in running lengths of unwoven fibre is either by thebatch process in both dyeing and printing or the con tinuous methodwhich is also obtained in printing.

In dyeing running lengths of unwoven textile fibre the material isgenerally wound into a loose form such as a hank or skein or otherwisewound onto a perforated tube and the material immersed in a dye bathwhich ultimately contains a liquid carrier such as water, the colouringmatter to be applied, and generally a number of auxiliaries to aid inthe dyeing depending on the method being employed. Either the materialmoves through a stationary dye bath or the dye bath is moved through thematerial which is stationary. The dyeing depends on the afiinity of thefibre for the dyestuff contained in the bath. The auxiliaries in thebath are generally included to either aid affixing of the dyestuflt onthe fibre, or to speed up the action, or to reduce the alfinity of thetdyestuff for the fibre so as to ultimately increase the levelness ofthe dyeing. The dyeing is complete when the dyer feels that the goodshave come up to shade by taking on of dyestuff from the bath.

Printing, on the other hand, is generally carried out on running lengthsof unwoven fibre by applying a thickened paste of colouring matter tothe material by an embossed roll. This is generally referred to in thetrade as vigoreux printing. After the printing paste has been applied inthe desired fashion, the dyestulf is fixed to the fibre by convenientmeans. The fibre is then scoured to remove any excess colouring matterand thickening which has not become fixed to the fibre. Subsequentdrafting and blending of the fibres is necessary to level out anyunevenness occurring during printing.

APPLICANTS DEVELOPMENT The method of the present invention overcomesmany of the difficulties encountered with existing methods of dyeing andprinting running lengths of unwoven fibre. In the applicants methodthere is applied a non-varying percentage of dyestuff solution to thematerial on a continuous basis and that non-varying amount is forced tomigrate evenly throughout the running length. The proportion of dyestuffbased on the weight of the goods is non varying and such that it isalways capable of being taken on by the fibre during the subsequentfixing operation and as a consequence a scour is not required to removeexcess dyestuif. Thus, with the application of a fixed proportion ofcolouring matter to the normal fibre and with all of the colouringmatter so applied being fixed to the fibre, there is no loss of colourin subsequent processes nor :a variation in colour from yard to yard orfrom foot to foot, dyelot to dyelot, etc.

In the applicants preferred method, the running lengths of unwovenfibres are passed between two surfaces of compression. To one or both ofthe surfaces of compression which move the material at a constant rateof feed, the dyes-tuft" is applied with necessary auxiliary materialsPatented June 18, 1963 (egg. acids, softeners, alkalis) in solution tothe surfaces of compression by means of a pump of constant flow. Thesolution to supply the pump comes from a reservoir in which the solutionis constantly agitated so as to produce a homogeneous and constantsolution to the surfaces of compression.

After the material leaves the nipmade by the two surfaces of compressionit is impeded in its flow by a form of crimp box with a spring loadedtrapdoor. The material is thus held back and held in con-tact with thesurfaces of compression so as to wipe them clean of the dyestuifsolution before new solution is applied. As the material under pressurein the crimp-box overcomes the pressure exerted by the trapdoor in thecrimpbox, the material emerges from the crimp-box in an uneven fashionbut always retaining constant pressure on material within the box.

If the running lengths were not forced into a crimp-box afterapplication of the dyeing solution the dye solution could not be evenlydispersed throughout the strand, nor would all of the solution beabsorb-ed from the compres sion surfaces. If all of the dyes-tuff is notremoved from the compression surface and more dyestuff is added to thatsame surface there is no guarantee that a fixed percentage of thedyestulf will be applied to the material.

In an alternative procedure, according to the invention, the dye isapplied in measured amounts to the strand itself before the strandcontacts the press rolls. This may be done, for example, by spraying thedye stuff through the strand. Similar results are achieved when the dyeis applied to the rolls, the action of the rolls in the crimpbox servingto spread the dye through the strand.

After the colouring solution has been evenly applied by theaforementioned method, the dyestuff may then be fixed to the fibre inthe conventional methods: which employ heat, steam, etc.

So far the applicant has only talked of dyeing the unwoven fibres to asolid shade or colour. The same method may be modified so that a stripeor alternating stripe can be applied to the running length of unwovenfibre. This results in only a portion of the material being coloured.Several streams of colouring matter may also be applied to thecompression surfaces, thus obtaining a variety of coloured stripes onthe fibres. There is always a demand for such effects where the materialso dyed is later processed and the fibres re-located with regard to oneanother so as to give a homogeneous and intimate fibre mix of thevarious colours.

In most cases where a solid shade is desire-d on the running length of'unwoven fibre one must resort to a doctor blade, a jet of air, a feltwick, oscillating nozzle, etc, or some other means in order to dispersethe colouring solution across the compression surface in order that dyesolution will be forced through or printed into the unwoven strand toits entire length, width and. depth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention has been generally described and itwill now be discussed in more detail by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate a preferred apparatus according to theinvention and capable of carrying out the process thereof, and in whichFIGURE -1 is a front perspective View of the apparatus proper.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-section through the apparatus of FIGURES 1and 2. taken about mid-Way in the rollers.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the approximate nature of therunning length of unwoven fibre as it passes through the apparatus.

'FIGURES 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sections along the lines 5-5, 66',77, 8--8, and 99 of FIGURE 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and 17 are a pair of crimprolls arranged to rotate on parallel shafts 15a and 17a respectively andextending from the frame A. The rolls 15 and 17 are positioned so thattheir peripheral surfaces 15b and 1712 respectively form between them anip N through which the textile material is passed.

A strand condenser 21 is adapted to receive a running length S ofunwoven textile fiber i.e. a strand, for example a sliver and to lead itinto the nip N. A crimp box 23 is arranged beneath the crimp rolls 15and 17 and in a position to receive the strand forced from the deliveryside of the nip N. The crimp box 23 is provided with a gate 25 hinged tothe body 23 and under pressure effective to deter the passage of thestrand. The amount of pressure is adjusted by a knob 24 through theshaft 24a. The strand is thus backed up in a well-known manner, forcingit against the rotating peripheral surfaces 15b and 17b causing it towipe the rolls and at the same time putting a crimp in the strand beforeit is allowed to emerge from the gate.

Felt pads 31 and 33 respectively are held on spring brackets 35 and 37to bear against the peripheral surfaces 15a and 17a respectively. Pipes"41 and 43 lead from the source of supply of liquid dye, for example,from a pump and a reservoir. The pipes 41 and 43 have outlets 41a and43a just above the pads 31 and 33 respectively.

OPERATION In operation, the strand S is fed from a source of supply, forexample a can, to the strand condenser 21 into the nip N of the rolls 15and 17 which are rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise respectively soas to draw the strand into the nip N and force it into the crimp box 23.At the same time a sthe strand is being continuously passed into thecondenser 21, between the nip N into the crimp box 23 and past the crimpgate 25, dye is fed at a metered rate through the pipes 41 and 43 so asto supply dye at a known and constant rate to the felt pads 31 and 33and thence to the peripheral surfaces 150 and 17a of the crimp rolls.

In accordance with the invention, the amount of dye which is fed is atthe most not greater than the amount which can be taken up by thestrand. In other words, there is no excess. In the case where completedyeing is desired, the amount of dye is adjusted to be just that amountwhich it is desired to retain in the strand. This is possible becausethe entire amount of dye fed is taken up by the strand because of theparticular manner of its contact with the dye. That is to say, thestrand is backed up against the surfaces 15a and 17a of the crimp rollsby the action of the crimp gate and the strand wipes the surfaces ofthese rolls continually assuring the com plete transfer of dye from therolls to the strand. At the same time, the strand is crimped by theaction of the crimp gate. The speed of feed of the dye, the speed ofrotation of the rolls, and the pressure of the gate are all adjusted toachieve the desired end.

The crimper rolls may operate at a speed at least fast enough that thedye will not flow 'faster than the rollers are moving, to a maximumspeed where the centrifugal force is not suflicient to fling the dyefrom the rollers. The maximum amount of dye-stuff which the strand isable to absorb is about 25% in the case of polyesters, about 60% in thecase of wool. For acrylics this will be about 35% and for cotton about45%, from about 10 to about 600 feet per minute surface speed with apreferred speed being in the neighbourhood of 350 feet per minute.

The range of pressure on the press rolls may run from five pounds tofifteen hundred pounds of loading between crimper rolls. This willhandle all types of fiber and will apply from about 8 to about crimpsper inch,

with about 20 inches preferred. The force applied in a normal directionto the crimp box gate may range from about five pounds to about twohundred pounds, about fifty pounds being a preferred figure for mostaverage processing.

The approximate range of strand weight for various crimper rolls andcrimp box widths is as follows, it being understood that these rangesare approximate only as there is a certain dependency on the type offiber being processed.

Strand weight range,

Roll and box width: grains/ yd.

The range of percentage of dye-stuff in the liquor will, under normalcircumstances, be from about /2 to about 20% by weight, for example, 6%or 6 grams per milliliters of solution will yield medium to dark shadesof a colour. The percent of liquor by weight applied to a strand willvary from about /2% to about 60%. An excess of over 60% will in mostcases cause drip from the strand thus defeating the purpose of theconsistent application as possible by the invention.

EXAMPLES This invention will be further understood by reference tospecific examples which illustrate preferred aspects of the invention.

Example I 100% DYEING Orlon 42 tow of 58,750 denier (where denierrepresents the number of grams per 9000 meters) and containing fibens of3 denier per filament was dyed by passing through equipment of the typedescribed above and of the dimensions given below, under the followingconditions:

Crimper roll diameters--- 4.0". Crimper troll pressure 500 lbs. Crimperroll width Crimp box width Crimp box depth (same as roll width). Crimpbox length from nip..- 5 /2". Spring force on crimp box gate lbs.Crimper roll surface speed-.. ft./min. Crimper productivity 327gnrs/min. Dye liquor flow rate 35 gms./min. per

nozzle (2 nozzles used). Percent liquor applied on wt.

of goods 21.4%.

The dye liquor was composed of the following components in grams per 100milliliters of aqueous solution:

6.0 grams/100 ml. Sevron yellow L (catonic dye) 1.66 grams/100 ml.Brilliant Red 4G (catonic dye) 1.6 *grams/ 100 ml. glacial acetic acidThe resulting orange coloured tow was found to have exceptional fastnessproperties and showed no signs of colour loss whatever on scouringindicating that all of the metered dyestuffs had been taken on by thetow.

The coloured tow so produced was in a condition suitable for any of thetextile processes such as stapling, cutting, etc.

The dye liquor was well dispersed and kept in agitation during pumping.The liquor was metered to a nozzle above each pressure roll and theliquor fell onto a felt wick located on each roll. The purpose of thefelt wick, which Was the same width as the roll and centered on theroll, was to cause the liquor to be dispersed across the width of theroll to guarantee complete dyeing of the tow being processed.

3 minutes of vacuum 3 minutes of steam at 230 F. (about 7 lbs. pressure)20 seconds release of pressure 5% minutes of steam 20 seconds release 7/2 minutes of steam 4 minutes of vacuum Example ll PARTIAL DYEING Asliver of nylon 66 containing 4 /2" 3 denier fibers and weighing 210grains/yd. was processed through the invention with the purpose ofdyeing only part of the sliver and leaving the remainder in its originalcolour. After subsequent drafting and blending the final yarn would havea two-tone effect which is often desirable.

The crimper which was used was the same as that used in the 100% dyeingexample. Further details on the processing were as follows:

Crimper productivity grams/min-.. 150 Dye liquor flow rate do- 14.8Percent liquor applied on wt. of goods The dye liquor contained thefollowing components in grams per 100 milliliters of aqueous solution:

4.0 Chromacyl Yellow N 1.5 Chromacyl Blue GG 12.0 urea 12.0 ammoniumsulphate The dye was well dispersed and agitated during pumping. Theliquor was metered to a nozzle above the middle of one pressure roll andallowed to pour onto the middle of the roll as the nylon sliver waspassed through between the rolls. The roll pressure was adjusted to 350lbs. to yield the desired degree of liquor penetration. (Most pressurewould have resulted in a larger percentage of the sliver being dyed orcoloured.)

Example III OVERDYEING TWO COLOURS A wool strand of 64s quality andweighing 195 grains/yd. had been previously dyed to a yellow shade. Itwas desired to have a sliver containing yellow, green, brown and orangefibers which would result in a brown mix when intimately drafted andblended in subsequent processing. The colouring process was carried outby passing the sliver through the equipment of the applicants inventionwith settings similar to the case of 100% dyeing but with the followingexceptions:

Crimper roll pressure 450 lbs.

Spring force on crimp box gate v 75 lbs.

Crimper roll surface speed 165 ft./min. Crimper {productivity 695gms./min. Dye liquor flow rate 70 gms./min.of red from one nozzle. 85gms./min. of blue from other nozzle. Percent of liquor applied on wt.

of goods 10.1% red, 12.2%

blue.

The red dye liquor was composed of the following components in gms./millilitres of aqueous solution:

1.2 Acid Milling Red G 0.1 Acid Green BN VARIABLE FACTORS The types offibers that can be dyed by the process of the invention includesynthetic fibers like cellulose acetate, acrylic, azlon, nylon, nytril,polyesters, rayon, saran, vinal and natural fibers for example, cotton,linen, fur, silk and wool, monacrylics, and vinyon. Among the forms ofthe material that can be dyed by the process of the invention aresliver, top, roving, slubbiug, yarn, warp and tow.

I claim:

1. A continuous method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fiber,comprising, passing the running length into the nip between theconverging surfaces of press rolls moving at a constant linear speed,confining the material leaving the nip under resilient pressure therebycrimping it and causing it to Wipe the diverging compressing surfaces ofthe press rolls subsequent to the nip, continuously applying liquid dyeto the converging surfaces prior to their point of contact with therunning length in an amount 'absorbable by the running length, the speedof the rolls, the amount of resilient pressure and the speed of feed ofthe dye being coordinated and constant whereby there is continuouscomplete removal of dye from the roll surfaces and absorption by therunning length.

2. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprisingpassing the material to be dyed between converging then divergingcompression surfaces of constant linear speed, continuously applying dyeon the surfaces prior to contact with the material and thence crimpingthe material against the said diverging compression surfaces to assurethe complete removal and absorption of the dye.

3. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprisingpassing the material to be dyed between converging then divergingcompression surfaces of constant linear speed on which a plurality ofdyes have been applied and thence crimping the material against thediverging compression surfaces to :assure complete removal andabsorption of dye.

4. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprisingpassing the material to be dyed between converging then divergingcompression surfaces of constant linear speed which have been groovedand mated in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the compressionsurfaces and in the grooves of which a dye is constantly applied andcrimping the material against the diverging compression surfaces toassure the complete removal and absorption of dye.

5. An apparatus for applying dye to strands of textile material,comprising, a pair of smooth-surfaced crimp rolls arranged to rotate onparallel axes whereby their peripheral surfaces form therebetween a nipthrough which the strand is passed, a crimp box related to the rolls atthe delivery side of the hip in such a. manner as to receive the strandfrom the rolls and to subject it to crimping pressure, a pad held toride on the surface of each roll to disperse the dye across the width ofthe roll at a position prior to the nip, a condenser for the strandarranged in advance of the nip to deliver the material to the nip, andmeans for supplying metered amounts of dye in liquid form to the pads.

6. A method of dyeing, comprising, continuously passing a running lengthof unwoven fiber between converging, then diverging compression surfacesof constant linear speed, continuously applying dye to the surfacesprior to contact with the material, crimping the material against thediverging compression surfaces to ensure complete removal of the dyefrom the surfaces and its absorption by 7 the material, and subsequentlytreating the dyed crimped material to fix the dye.

7. A method of dyeing, comprising applying fluid dye to a continuouslength of unwoven fiber whereby dye is absorbed therein, thensubstantially immediately passing said fiber continuously betweenconverging then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speedand crimping the length of said fiber against the diverging compressionsurfaces, and subsequently treating the dyed cr-imped fiber to fix thedye.

8. An apparatus for applying dye to strands of textile material,comprising, a pair of smooth-surfaced crimp rolls arranged to rotate onparallel axes whereby their peripheral surfaces form therebetween a nipthrough which the strand is passed, a crimp box related to the rolls atthe delivery side of the nip in such a manner as to receive the strandfrom the rolls and to subject it to crimping pressure, a pad held toride on the surface of at least one roll to disperse the dye across thewidth of the roll at a position prior to the nip, a condenser for thestrand arranged in advance of the nip 'to deliver the material to thenip, and means for supplying metered amounts of dye in liquid form tothe pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,115,218 Siever Apr. 26, 1933 2,311,174 Hitt Feb. 16, 1943 2,715,309Rosenstein et a1 Aug. 16, 1955 2,867,005 Wheelock n Jan. 6, 1959

1. A CONTINUOUS METHOD OF DYEING A RUNNING LENGTH OF UNWOVEN FIBER,COMPRISING, PASSING THE RUNNING LENGTH INTO THE NIP BETWEEN THECONVERGING SURFACES OF PRESS ROLLS MOVING AT A CONSTANT LINEAR SPEED,CONFINING THE MATERIAL LEAVING THE NIP UNDER RESILIENT PRESSURE THEREBYCRIMPING IT AND CAUSING IT TO WIPE THE DIVERGING COMPESSING SURFACE OFTHE PRESS ROLLS SUBSEQUENT TO THE NIP, CONTINOUSLY APPLYING LIQUID DYETOO THE CONVERGING SURFACES PRIOR TO THEIR POINT OF CONTACT WITH THERUNNING LENGTH IN AN AMOUNT ABSORBABLE BY THE RUNNING LENGTH, THE SPEEDOF THE ROLLS, THE AMOUNT OF RESILIENT PRESSURE AND THE SPEED OF FEED OFTHE DYE BEING COORDINATED AND CONSTANT WHEREBY THERE IS CONTINUOUSCOMPLETE REMOVAL OF DYE FROM THE ROLL SURFACES AND ABSORPTION BY THERUNNING LENGHT.
 5. AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DYE TO STRANDS OF TEXTILEMATERIAL, COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SMOOTH-SURFACED CRIMP ROLLS ARRANGED TOROTATE ON PARALLEL AXES WHEREBY THEIR PERIPHERAL SURFACES FORMTHEREBETWEEN A NIP THROUGH WHICH THE STRAND IS PASSED, A CRIMP BOXRELATED TO THE ROLLS AT THE DELIVERY SIDE OF THE NIP IN SUCH A MANNER ASTO RECEIVE THE STRAND FROM THE ROLLS AND TO SUBJECT IT TO CRIMPINGPRESSURE, A PAD HELD TO RIDE ON THE SURFACE OF EACH ROLL TO DISPERSE THEDYE ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE ROLL AT A POSITION PRIOR TO THE NIP, ACONDENSER FOR THE STRAND ARRANGED IN ADVANCE OF THE NIP TO DELIVER THEMATERIAL TO THE NIP, AND MEANS FOR SUPPYLING METERED AMOUNTS OF DYE INLIQUID FORM TO THE PADS.